March 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



269 



PLANTATION RUBBER IN GERMAN EAST AFRICA. 



I\ an interesting booklet, Dr. Eduard Marckw.nld, of Berlin. 

 ' lias recorded his impressions of the condition and prospects 

 of rubber planting in German East Africa, with the object of 

 pointing out the steps which should and must be adopted for 

 ensuring the profitable operation of the industry in the territory 

 named. He explains, however, that his report is incomplete, as 

 the interruption of his journey from personal reasons prevented 

 liim from becoming acquainted with the Southern portion of the 

 country. At the same time, by tlie courtesy of planters and 

 officials, he was enabled to gather a quantity of information as 

 10 the Usambara district, the most important section, as far as 

 rubber is concerned. 



Apart from the many phases of the subject possessing general 

 interest, Dr. Marckw-ald, in dealing with its detailed features, 

 expresses the opinion that the most suitable variety for planting 

 in East Africa is Maiiihot Glaziovii. Rainfall conditions in a 

 large part of the territory do not, in his opinion, allow of Hevea 

 being planted. While sufficient rainfall for Ilevea is recorded 

 in isolated cases, as a general rule it varies considerably from 

 year to year. Attempts to cultivate Kickxia and Castilloa have 

 proved unsuccessful. While the reason of these failures is 

 purposely not discussed, caution is expressed against the culti- 

 vation of the recently much vaunted Manihot Dicholoma and 

 Manilwt Pmuhicnsis, e,xperiments with which are described as 

 having totally failed, as they grow- badly and slowly, giving only 

 small yields of medium grade rubber. The plants are so fragile, 

 tliat tlie plantation is liable to destruction by wind storms. 



While the question of the best varietv for planting is met by 

 the recommendation of Manihot Glaziovii, the poor selection of 

 that seed at the disposal of the German plantations has been an 

 obstacle to the carrying out of the advice thus given. Experi- 

 ments in soils of like character, with trees planted and tapped 

 at the same time and of the same girth, have shown yields very 

 largely differing in quantity. Such a divergence, in Dr. Marck- 

 wald's opinion, is exclusively due to the seeds being of high or 

 low quality. Consequently he urges the necessity of paying special 

 attention in future to the choice of seeds, particularly in the 

 laying out of new plantations. 



ALTITUDE. 



With reference to the opinion expressed by Herr vun Linde- 

 quist. that Maniliot cultivation could be better developed at a 

 height of 1,500 to 3,000 feet tlian at lower altitudes. Dr. Marck- 

 wald expresses the view that while this statement may be appli- 

 cable to many countries (as for instance Ceylon), in the German 

 colonies it is useless to expect satisfactory results at a height 

 exceeding about 2,600 feet. 



WHEN .'\ND now TO PL.'^NT. 



The best time for planting is the lighter rainy season, and not, 

 as hitherto often has been the case, in the period of heavy rains. 

 Planting in the latter time leads to crooked growth, while trees 

 planted in the first-named season grow straight. Planting should 

 be at least on the scale of 16 .x 16 feet, or even 20 x 20 feet. 

 Closer planting (though usual in German East Africa) is un- 

 desirable, in Dr. ^ilarckwald's opinion. It is of course assumed 

 that the soil is of a suitable character. 

 T.-XPPING. 



Tapping, it is added, should only be undertaken with trees 

 of suitable character, and wdiich have a bark of sufficient 

 thickness to permit of a deep incision without injury to the wood. 

 This operation should not take place before the third year. At 

 an earlier stage the rubber has not been formed and the bark is 

 so thin that injury results. Dr. Marckwald strongly condemns 

 premature tapping, such as takes place in some cases at the age 

 of eighteen months. 



In the course of a planters' meeting at Tanga, he had an oppor- 

 tunity of seeing rubber, said to have been obtained by a new 

 tapping process from trees only 10 months old, the light color 



of which was urged as a proof of its excellence. Unfortunately 

 for this theory, Dr. Marckwald was able to assert that the 

 product, which was viscous and without nerve, was the worst 

 sample of Manihot which had ever come into his hands. He 

 further dissented from the opinion e.xpressed by the inventor that 

 it was good enough to rank as a second-grade quality from young 

 trees, as he considered principal attention should be given to 

 producing a single uniformly first-class article. 



From the third to the fourth year Manihot trees can be tapped 

 in regular succession throughout the entire year, with the excep- 

 tion of the sliort period during which they shed their leaves. 



A ST.\.\D.\RD E.\ST .\FRIC.\.\' Oi:.\LlTY. 



On the general question of rubber production. Dr. ^vlarckwald 

 urges the view that only the production of a high grade pure and 

 uniform article of the first standard of merit, will render it 

 possible for East .\frica by means of such a standard to hold its 

 position in the impending keen competition. German East .African 

 rubber, it is added, can only attain such recognition by means 

 of a simple and cheap coagulant. The principal difficulty seems 

 to be in the rooted convictions of many planters tliat their own 

 methods are the best. 



One remarkable circumstance in connection with East African 

 plantation yields, is that the results of various plantations show 

 a marked divergence, which may be considered as illustrating 

 what the tapper brings in. rather than what the trees produce. 



.\fter reference to the details given of tappings extending over 

 several months, the opinion is expressed that it will probably be 

 found possible to increase the yields by proper irrigation and 

 manuring, the beneficial results of using imported fertilizers 

 being shown in an improved quality of product. 



After dryin.g, the rubber is in many East .'African plantations 

 subjected to a process of smoking, with the view of thus im- 

 proving the quality. This idea of smoking owes its origin to 

 the Brazilian custom of using the smoke of Urukuri nuts or 

 Massaranduba wood, rubber smelling of smoke fetching a better 

 price. While this smoke contains certain products of combus- 

 tion, exercising special efifccts, the process of smoking as carried 

 out in East .\frica has, it is remarked, no influence upon the 

 quality of the rubber. Still, when carefully performed, smoking 

 is harmless and prevents the formation of mildew, which really 

 does not deteriorate tlie quality, although made use of as a 

 pretext for reducing the price. 



In connection with the washing of East .-Xfrican rubber, the 

 opinion is expressed tliat where the plantation has only weak 

 rolls, with native attendants, in which the rubber loses only a 

 small quantity of dirt, such an operation is useless. Conditions, 

 however, are different where proper washing rolls have been in- 

 stalled, which are tended by careful hands, even without technical 

 experience. 



Dr. Marckwald asks whether, nolhwithstanding the various 

 objections raised, washing can be regarded as helping the stand- 

 ardization of East .-Xfrican rubber, which seems unattainable 

 today by any other means. He is disposed to answer the ques- 

 tion atTirmatively, suggesting an agreement between the larger 

 companies (under both German and English direction) for the 

 production of a uniform quality ; washing taking place during a 

 provisional term of three or four years. The washed products 

 must he technically absolutely pure and must be constantly 

 supervised by persons of known integrity and impartiality. 

 Manufacturers, it is added, should be able to use East African 

 plantation rubber without having to subject it to another washing. 



Other points of interest are likewise touched on by Dr. Marck- 

 wald, such as the cost and prospective selling prices of East 

 African Manihot rubber. In the above brief summary, however, 

 a few of the many interesting features of Dr. Marckwald's 

 "Traveling Impressions" have been quoted, with the hope that he 

 may long be heard from on the important subjects so ably 

 treated. 



